The hallway was almost empty.
And then, he appeared in front of me.
"Get inside the room. If you're late, I'm going to report you for violation."
He said it with those very handsome, very nonchalant eyes of his.
Then, as if that wasn't enough torture, he just turned and walked into the classroom.
No waiting, no escort, no glance back.
Didn't you know I was the sacrifice here?!
I am offering myself to your unbalanced hormones and anger issues!
My stomach was a mess of butterflies while my heart was pure anger.
And my anger was winning, I tell you.
The hallway was quiet again, the alpine breeze sneaking through the open windows of each classroom, brushing against my arms. The sunshine was bright but cold—kind of like him.
I sighed, eyes fixed on his retreating back until he disappeared into the room. Then I ran to my seat—near the exit, my safe zone.
The hard chair pressed against my back as I collapsed onto it, resting my chin on my palm. My eyes? Locked on Ice. His back.
Still the same seat—front row, left side, next to the window. Nobody dared to ask him to move. Meanwhile, I was all the way at the back, far right, next to the wall.
Total opposite sides.
While everyone else was laughing and chatting, forming new friendships in this "fresh start" seating arrangement, I couldn't help feeling… weirdly sad.
Insert a sad ballad love song right here. Perfect for a slice-of-life anime. My romance manga totally crossed out.
"You miss him, don't you?" Dhylan whispered beside me like some kind of detective.
I turned to glare at him, with pout on.
He smirked, zipped his lips, and leaned back.
He never says it out loud, but Dhylan's the most observant one between the three of us. Sometimes too observant.
The bell rang, shattering the quiet little movie reel in my head.
And then entered the Queen of All Evil.
I mean, the professor. Miss Murasaki.
Her pixie-cut hair was freshly trimmed, rectangular glasses glinting with authority. Every step she took radiated intimidation. She didn't need to raise her voice—her presence alone could silence a riot.
She stood in the center of the room, eyes sweeping over the class like a hawk.
Perfect Ice replica. Honestly, if someone told me she was his mother, I'd believe it.
I leaned back in my chair, straightening my posture immediately. No way was I getting called out by her.
Why does she have to be the professor of every major subject?!
And as a bonus prize, I get Ice too?
Seriously, what kind of cursed promo is this—buy one class, get all the problems free?!
"Before anything else," she said, her tone crisp as chalk, "I believe Mr. SSC President has an announcement."
Ice stood up, calm as always. He didn't even look surprised, like he knew this was coming.
"This month, the university has approved an educational trip lasting one week," he began, voice flat but clear. "Each section will be assigned a different destination. More details will follow after finalization with the board."
Then he sat down. Just like that.
Well, that was the least exciting announcement in the history of announcements.
But the class? Immediate chaos.
Everyone cheered, squealed, and started planning imaginary adventures already.
It was a school trip!
Friendship! Freedom! Possibly… romance?!
My heart leaped.
Something to look forward to!
"I want to go to the hot springs in Japan!" Dhylan whispered, phone already in hand, eyes sparkling.
"Have you been there?" he asked without looking up.
"Yes, yes! It's really relaxing!" I said, still smiling.
He turned to me, more hopeful than a puppy.
The classroom buzzed like a festival. Everyone was daydreaming about where they'd go.
Until—
"Listen!" our professor yelled.
The noise froze for half a second.
"Nothing has been finalized," she continued, "but let this serve as your preview. Wherever we go, take notes."
The entire class blinked. Confused.
"I said take notes!"
We scrambled to pull out our phones, and open note apps like our lives depended on it.
"During the trip," she said, pacing slowly, "the school will usually arrange accommodations that include breakfast."
I typed diligently, pretending this was good news.
"For lunch, you will visit local or historical restaurants. You are to observe—"
That word.
That cursed word.
Observe.
The classroom exploded.
Cries and groans echoed like a choir of broken dreams.
"What?!"
"No way!"
"Assignments on a trip?!"
Dhylan slapped his forehead. "There's no way! I refuse to believe this!"
I agree! No way! Why?!
This is supposed to be my first school trip! Friendship memories! Maybe love stories!
Now it's turning into an academic apocalypse!
"Settle down," Murasaki said calmly, but no one listened. Everyone was still busy imagining their romantic manga-worthy moments dying a slow death.
All the manga I've read—school trips are supposed to be magical! Why do you have to ruin it?!
"Silence!"
The word slammed into the room like thunder. Everyone froze.
Of course. It was the Ice Monster.
Everyone froze.
Of course it was.
Professor Murasaki sighed, clearly relieved by her student-enforcer. "What's our subject?" she asked calmly.
"Fooooood… safe-ty," the class droned in perfect zombie unison.
"Yes, food safety," she said. "During the lunch days, you are required to conduct an observational study and write a thesis-style report on each restaurant's current food safety practices. Your paper should include an analysis, conclusion, and a set of feasible recommendations for improvement."
By the time she finished, all of us already looked exhausted—and we hadn't even started yet.
I dropped my head onto my desk.
Goodbye, perfect school trip.
"And for dinner—"
My head shot up, eyes widened, mouth agape.
"WHAT?!" The entire class screamed again, like one synchronized musical number of despair.
"This is too much work!" Lia cried from the front.
Oriel was nodding beside her, eyes wide in disbelief.
"Then drop the subject," Murasaki said flatly, adjusting her glasses like a supervillain revealing her master plan.
You are the villain, Murasaki.
I was stomping my foot lightly under the desk, just enough to vent without being noticed.
"For dinner," she continued, unfazed, "you will cook your own food. You'll be given a budget. This is a lesson in adaptation and resource management while catering to others' preferences."
I didn't hear anything after "cook your own food."
I made a pillow out of my arms and buried my face in it.
Whyyyyyy.
My perfect school trip. My romance dreams. My anime moment.
All dead.
"Murasaki, I hate youuuu! You villain in a pixie cut!"
Next Chapter:
I'm mourning my romantic hot-spring daydreams, Oriel's teasing me like it's her job, and Dhylan's being suspiciously calm about it all.
But between ruined dreams and group assignments, there's something weird about Ice lately—
especially that mysterious girl's voice I just overheard when I definitely wasn't eavesdropping.
(For thesis purposes, of course.)